The Hogwarts Categorical is gathering steam, with new particulars about HBO’s Harry Potter sequence beginning to emerge this week.
Throughout a presentation at Warner Bros Discovery’s headquarters in London on Thursday, HBO chief government Casey Bloys revealed that the multi-season sequence – which was first introduced in 2023 – is scheduled to start out filming in mid-2025 at Warner Bros’ Leavesden Studios within the UK, the place the eight-part movie saga was additionally filmed. The presentation additionally unveiled new particulars concerning the casting and length of the present.
Right here’s all the things we all know up to now.
When is it coming?
The sequence is anticipated to debut on Max and the HBO and Warner Bros Discovery streaming service in 2026 – virtually 30 years for the reason that first e-book in JK Rowling’s best-selling sequence was revealed in 1997, and 15 years after the ultimate movie landed on screens.
Who’s making it?
It’s a British affair: the showrunner might be Francesca Gardiner, finest identified for her writing work on seasons three and 4 of HBO’s Succession. She additionally served as government producer on the HBO and BBC co-production His Darkish Supplies (tailored from Philip Pullman’s fantasy novels) and season two of Killing Eve.
Gardiner, who may also take an government producer position, was chosen by Warner Bros after a months-long aggressive choice course of during which plenty of creatives have been invited to pitch concepts for the Harry Potter sequence.
Fellow Brit Mark Mylod, a director and government producer on Succession, will function a director and government producer for the sequence.
Will JK Rowling be concerned?
Sure. Warner Bros is producing the sequence in affiliation with Rowling’s firm Brontë Movie and TV, and Rowling is among the sequence’ government producers.
Rowling has possession over key points of the Harry Potter IP – particularly, the characters – that means Warner Bros needed to make a take care of her in an effort to inexperienced mild their sequence.
And from the get-go, her involvement has been divisive. Rowling’s opinions about trans individuals lately have drawn criticism from the LGBTQI+ group, followers of her books and even a few of the stars of the Harry Potter movies.
Regardless of this, Bloys stated on Thursday that he’s “completely comfy” with Rowling’s involvement and “not involved about client response”.
Who might be within the present?
HBO hasn’t confirmed any solid at this level, although varied commerce publications have begun saying who’s within the working. Selection reviews that Warner Bros has reached out to Mark Rylance to play Dumbledore. The Hollywood Reporter reported sources confirming that Paapa Essiedu has been provided the position of Severus Snape. There are additionally rumours that Cillian Murphy is being thought of for Voldemort.
The books’ younger protagonists, in the meantime, will all be unknowns. In September, Warner Bros put out an open casting name for Harry, Ron and Hermione, looking for actors who might be aged between 9 and 11 in April 2025, and who’re residents of the UK or Eire. Actors needed to submit two self-tapes: one with a quick introduction and one performing a brief story or poem.
Mylod revealed on Thursday that the casting staff have been at the moment reviewing 32,000 submissions for the children’ roles.
“We are going to watch each one,” he stated, including that the staff have been at the moment reviewing between 500 and 1,000 tapes each day, and hoped to “workshop with a few of our shortlisted candidates” in January.
What’s the imaginative and prescient for the sequence?
Darkish. Keep in mind, Mylod is the man who directed not solely the psychological warfare of Succession but in addition episodes of Recreation of Thrones and horror-infused fine-dining satire The Menu. Gardiner, in the meantime, has reportedly spoken previously about her dislike of patronising youngsters and sanitising horror.
The present has been billed as a trustworthy adaptation of Rowling’s sequence, and the writer herself has praised HBO for its dedication to “preserving the integrity” of her books, saying the brand new adaptation “will permit for a level of depth and element solely afforded by a long-form tv sequence”.
What number of seasons?
From the get-go, Warner Bros billed this as a “decade-long sequence” – suggesting that it may not be as clear lower as one season per e-book.
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